New boss Alonso calls for Chelsea 'hunger', wants Fernandez to stay

Xabi Alonso urged Chelsea to develop a "hunger" for victory and said he wanted midfielder Enzo Fernandez to stay at Stamford Bridge in his first press conference as Blues boss.

The former Real Madrid manager fought shy of discussing specific targets in his first season in charge of London club Chelsea but said European qualification was an aim.

"For sure that's a goal," he told a press conference on Monday. 

"But to reach that goal, you need to do many right things, and to be part of that process how do we want to play? How do we want to see ourselves? How do we want to approach a game wherever we go?

"That's my job. That's why I am really looking forward to having the whole squad. At the moment we have some bids, but early days so far.

"But for sure, we want to be there and time will tell. But we are ambitious and we in Chelsea need to share that energy, that ambition, as well as that hunger to want to have success."

Alonso also insisted Chelsea were keen to keep Fernandez

Earlier this month, Real Madrid denied an interest in signing the Chelsea midfielder, whose Argentina side will face England in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final.

"Yes, we have spoken," Alonso said. "But as you can understand, what we have spoken about remains private. But yes, we have spoken."

Asked if he would like Fernandez to remain at Stamford Bridge, Alonso replied: "Yes."

Fernandez is one of four Chelsea players still involved in the World Cup together with the England duo of Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah, as well as France's Malo Gusto.

Chelsea last won the Premier League a decade ago, under Italian manager Antonio Conte.

Several managers have come and gone at Chelsea since then, with Liam Rosenior -- Alonso's immediate full-time predecessor -- in charge for just three-and-a-half months.   

Former Liverpool and Spain midfielder Alonso, who has signed a four-year contract, was coy when asked if he would be given times by the Chelsea hierarchy to mount a title challenge.

But he added: "What I am sure is that we have the ambition to want to win a lot of games, to be competitive.

“We need to take important decisions, we need to build strong principles and a strong mentality and culture in the club.

"Time will tell. I'm not going to say what will happen in May... But I am confident, I am optimistic that we can have a great season."

jdg/bsp 

© Agence France-Presse